Game Commission Mulling New Doe Licensing Regulations

OUTDOOR RAMBLINGS

June 16, 1992|by TOM FEGELY, The Morning Call

At its meeting in Harrisburg last week, the Pennsylvania Game Commission proposed a major change in distribution and use of doe licenses, a subject that's long been controversial among the state's million-plus deer hunters.

If approved, new regulations would require that all hunters -- including participants in the bow and blackpowder seasons -- must purchase antlerless deer licenses to take a doe.

In addition, doe permits would go on sale in early August rather than in early October, as has been the application period for many years. Bonus permits, which are little more than leftover doe tags, would be sold beginning the fourth Monday in August.

The new requirement would affect archery and muzzleloader hunters, in particular. Currently bowhunters can take either antlered or antlerless deer. Blackpowder hunters who have not harvested bucks are also permitted to take antlered or antlered deer, regardless of the county in which they hunt.

The new regulations will surely draw support from some sportsmen and criticism from others.

On the plus side, it would eliminate the current requirement for a September 30 deadline to purchase a muzzleloader stamp. The combination muzzleloader-bonus deer permit would also be eliminated. However, under the new proposal, a flintlocker would need a county doe licenses in his or her possession during the post-Christmas season. Otherwise, only bucks would be legal game.

Each antlerless license would have its own ear tag and report card and could be used in any of the seasons now open for antlerless deer. The tag attached to the regular license would become a bucks-only tag.

If there's to be any resistance to the proposal, which, if passed, would go into effect in 1993, it will be that archers and flintlockers would need a doe tag for the specific county in which they're hunting. Currently the holder of a muzzleloader or archery stamp may take either a buck or doe in any county.

Commission biologists believe heretofore unaccountable harvests of does and non-antlered bucks would help "fine tune" the agency's management program.

Another proposal up for review at the agency's next meeting on July 22-23 will be the extension of the bow season into November. A trial 6-day bucks-only season has been approved for Nov.r 2-7 for this year only. That and other options will be reviewed by the commissioners. A program to cull overabundant deer on farms with crop damage will also continue, according to .

In addition, the commission will continue its review of ideas for giving muzzleloader hunters a better shot at prime time hunting, which bowhunters have long enjoyed. Changes could include (but are not limited to) a longer muzzleloader season in January for antlered deer only (despite the fact that most bucks lose their racks by mid-January) and a limited season in fall (a move that would surely be applauded by flintlock users).

In a related matter, the commissioners approved a regulation requiring archers to abide by the same blaze orange laws as turkey and small game hunters during the bow season extension. The 6-day bonus hunting period coincides with the first full week of the turkey and small game season.

Other matters attended to at the spring meeting included approval of eight transactions adding more than 1,100 acres to the state gameland system. Much of the new property holds critical wetlands.

Commissioner Roy Wagner of York was appointed commission secretary, filling a vacancy created by the death of Roger Wolz of Meadville.

Wolz was fatally injured in a traffic accident last month.

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Sterner's Island update -- On Sunday members of the Twin Rivers Chapter of Waterfowl U.S.A. (WUSA) held a work party at Sterner's Island on the Lehigh River in Allentown.

Volunteers reinforced the pond area and planted additional food plots for ducks.

The sanctuary, located about a mile downriver from Canal Park, was adopted by the local conservation group and the City of Allentown in September of 1990. Waterfowl foods were planted, a pond was constructed and numerous nest boxes were placed on the wooded island, which lies within city limits.

Mallards and wood ducks have adopted some of the boxes and the large, raised cylindrical nesting structures which deter predators.

In addition to the Allentown project, members also financed and volunteered their services in building and installing more than 50 nesting boxes and cylinders for mallards and woodies at East Bangor Dam.

According to WUSA president Rick Lubenesky, the structures are "very obvious to anyone passing by."

"At this time of year the waterfowl and their young are most vulnerable," said Lubenesky. "When moulting the (adults) are easily disturbed and we ask that people please do not disturb the boxes."